Film Series

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Film series are created when a film becomes a success. Sequels, prequels and spinoffs can turn a group of films into a real Cash Cow Franchise. Sometimes the makers choose not to make another movie based on the success of the first one. This can be due to lack of interest or the knowledge that they will not be able to duplicate everything the original made great.

Many others simply go for the quick buck and mass produce new movies. Though a huge flop or critically panned film can halt the sequel frenzy, there have been cases when sequels continue to be made long after audiences and critics gave up.

American Assassin — CIA Spy thriller based on the bestselling novel series that drops the nuances of discussing international relations with the middle east in favor of an 'Muslim are evil and must die' stance.

The Chronicles of Riddick — Action movie based on a comic strip. 3 films, one animated film and a separate video game series.

Coffin Joe (aka Zé do Caixão) — Brazilian horror film series. Three films since 1963. Afterwards the character appeared in two more films in a cameo role. A third one, The Strange World of Coffin Joe doesn't have him appear, despite his name being in the title.

Conan the Barbarian — Sword and sorcery series based on the novels by Robert E. Howard. Since 1982 three films have been made, the final one a remake. Had an animated TV series and a live-action TV series too.

The Crow — Supernatural action/horror series about a crow that resurrects people to avenge themselves and the people they love. Based on the graphic novel series by James O'Barr. 4 films with only two having a theatrical release.

Daffy Duck — 131 theatrical animated shorts between 1937 and 1968. Followed by several animated specials and cartoons from 1972 on.

DC Extended Universe — A joint movie adaptation of the DC comic book setting, with multiple movies occurring in the same world. Five films released so far since 2013.

Death Wish — Charles Bronson plays Paul Kersey, who movie after movie loses his loved ones to criminals, which in turn leads to vigilante mayhem. 5 films since 1974.

Fu Manchu — He has been played in over 40 films (beginning in 1923) by over a dozen different actors, including H. Agar Lyons (an Irishman), Warner Oland (a Swede), Boris Karloff (with Myrna Loy as his daughter, here called Fah Lo), Christopher Lee, and Peter Sellers (three Englishmen) and Nicholas Cage — but never yet by an actual Asian actor.

Goofy — First a central character in the Mickey Mouse cartoons. Got his own succesful spin-off cartoon series from 1939 until 1965. 50 cartoons in total. Received a 1990s TV cartoon series, two TV specials and two cartoons in 2007 and 2011.

James Bond — Spy thriller series, based on Ian Fleming's novels. 27 films since 1954, 24 of which are part of the Eon Productions/United Artists series, which started in 1962 on. There are 20 films in the original continuity since 1962 and since 2006 a rebooted series of 4 films (a fifth is in the making) with Daniel Craig as Bond, and two 'unofficial' films not produced by Eon/United Artists.

Jaws — Killer shark series. Four films since 1975 of whom only the first one was directed by Steven Spielberg.

Looney Tunes — Animated cartoon series. Since 1929, 1004 animated theatrical shorts have been released (counting the Merrie Melodies ones as well). The name Looney Tunes only came in use from 1936 on.

Maciste — World's Strongest Man series, often set in a historical time period. One the oldest and longest running film franchises in existence: since 1914 52 movies have been made.

Marvel Cinematic Universe — A joint movie adaptation of the Marvel comic book setting, with multiple movies/movie series occurring in the same world. Twenty films have been released since 2008, with many more in progress.

The Marx Brothers — Comedy series. Starred in 13 films as a group between 1929 and 1949.

The Matrix — Sciencefiction action thriller series. 3 live-action theatrical features, a Direct-to-Video collection of short anime films, and three video games (one of which essentially recreates the live-action movies' storyline) since 1999.

Popeye — Based on the already popular comic strip, spawned 109 cartoons between 1933 and 1942 by the Fleishcer Studios, 122 animated theatrical cartoons between 1942 and 1957 by the Famous Studios, bringing a total of 229 cartoons played in theaters. Was followed by several animated TV series and one live-action film in 1980.

Psycho — Classic psychological proto-slasher horror film by Alfred Hitchcock from 1960. Slasher craze of the '80s turned it into a franchise. Also had an almost shot-for-shot remake in 1998. Brings the total to 6 films. Also had a Prequel TV series in 2013.

Rambo — Action/War series. 4 films and an animated film series spinoff since 1982.

Resident Evil — Action series based on a video game. 5 films since 2002.

Rin Tin Tin: Heroic Dog series. 27 films with the original dog between 1922 and 1932. 11 more around his so-called son, 3 after that one's on too, until the film series was terminated in 1947. A TV series was made in the 1950s.

El Santo — Film series built around the iconic Mexican wrestler. It started in 1958, but the first movies didn't make much of an impression. Only from his third film on, in 1961, did sequelmania start to blossom. Since then 52 films were made starring the original wrestler.

Silent Hill — Horror series based on the eponymous video games. 2 films since 2006.

Sherlock Holmes — Detective series of which the first film was made as early as 1900. Spawned countless adaptations (some of them true to the original novels, others hardly at all) and, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the most portrayed movie character of all time.

True Life Adventures — documentary series. Seven shorts, six features, and one "True Life Fantasy" feature.

Twilight — Romantic fantasy series based on the eponymous novels. Five films have been made since 2008.

Violent Shit — No Budget German gorefest featuring the misadventures of rotting serial killer Karl Berger, aka K. the Butcher Shitter. Four official films, with the character of K. appearing in two other films (Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre and Unrated: The Movie).

Zatoichi — Samurai series based on the eponymous novel. Blind swordsman fights people. Between 1962 and 1989 26 films were made.

Zombi — A really confusingly-titled series. There have many series titled Zombi in different countries. The official Italian series only counts 3 titles, made between 1978 and 1988, with the first one technically being the same film as the American Dawn of the Dead.

Zorro — Swashbuckler series. Between 1920 and 2005 more than 40 movies have been made, both in the USA, as well as in Mexico and Europe, with numerous film, TV and literary appearances too.

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